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Told to 'f**k off' by window cleaners after they put a ladder against our house

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RandomCivvy

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Location
Surrey
This just happened. My partner and I are working from home today when a car with ladders on top pulls up and parks outside our house. The car has a decal on it stating that it's C.K Exterior Cleaning. No problem, we were actually thinking of having our windows cleaned soon so wonder if they'd do ours while they're in the area.

There are two men in the car. One of them gets out, takes a ladder off the roof rack, walks up onto our drive and leans it against the front of our house. I'm a bit surprised as we hadn't booked anything, so I think they've maybe got the wrong house and are meant to be cleaning our neighbour's windows (we're in a row of terraced houses that all look the same).

My partner goes outside to check that they aren't mistaken about which house they're doing, and potentially ask if they're available to clean our windows too. The men immediately start being aggressive and confrontational, telling him to 'chill the f**k out' and to 'f**k off' because they only leaned the ladder against our house 'for a minute'. To clarify, we didn't really have a problem with them doing that (we're not the obsessive Neighbourhood Watch types) - we just didn't want them to start working on the wrong house. 

My partner walks back to our front door where I'm holding the cat so she doesn't escape, and both men are jeering after him, telling us both to 'f**k off'. It was completely unnecessary and really unprofessional, and as my desk is right by the window at the front of our house I have to sit here all day now while they're walking around outside, occasionally looking up at me and making me feel really uncomfortable.

I tried googling their company name, but they don't have a website - just two mobile numbers that I obviously don't want to ring as they're clearly the numbers of the two men who swore at us (07856224790 and 07999063399). They're not on Checkatrade either. The only listings I can find are things like this: https://www.sblr.co.uk/cslisting/164103/

There's no way for me to complain about them, and it's really frustrating because they're just going to get away with being aggressive and threatening to people who could have been potential customers. So I'm posting on here because it seemed like the only thing to do. If you know these people, please tell them that this is a pretty terrible way to do business.

 
That is definitely not on.

Some people don't give a toss though and probably doing it for beer money whilst signing on also.

It's idiots like this who give us professional businesses a bad name as we all get tarred with the same brush yet we build businesses based on our reputation. 

So sorry to hear this attitude is still around in our profession. 

Some people need to grow up a bit.

 
Sorry for your experience.

It really grind's my gears that there's a few window cleaners out there that operate in this way, and don't understand customer service, or even basic niceties. As Dave said, it also makes life harder for those of us that actually take pride in our professionalism and customer service.

There is a growing number of professionals out there though and hopefully a dwindling number of these type. 

 
By the sound of it they are just the 2 blokes working together so you would only be complaining to the idiots that you saw today. I bet they are not doing it legitimately, i.e bet they have no insurance etc, I doubt they would be paying tax etc. 

If you feel they were threatening you could report it to the police or your local trading standards team. 

I am sure, if you wanted, there would be a good reliable window cleaner on here that may cover your area. If you post your town or village then someone might contact you.

Sorry to hear of your terrible experience.

 
It’s a pity nothing can be done about it , obviously don’t ask them to do your windows ??? look for a reputable company preferably with a sign written van and a uniform of some description hopefully they will give you a professional service and no abuse . 

 
RandomCivvy said:
There's no way for me to complain about them, and it's really frustrating because they're just going to get away with being aggressive and threatening to people who could have been potential customers. So I'm posting on here because it seemed like the only thing to do. If you know these people, please tell them that this is a pretty terrible way to do business.
Click to expand...
I know what I would do. I would go and tell the story to the neighbour who got their windows cleaned and hopefully they would cancel their services. Don't want folk like that anywhere near my house. We are lucky in Scotland with the license because you can report it to the council and if they don't have a license then the police get them at the next clean. ?

 
Pjj said:
It’s a pity nothing can be done about it , obviously don’t ask them to do your windows ??? look for a reputable company preferably with a sign written van and a uniform of some description hopefully they will give you a professional service and no abuse . 
Click to expand...
They had a sign decal ?  Unfortunately sign written doesn't mean anything.  I've seen gypsies with sign written vans but are not legit, I'm sure there are loads more like them.

 
Chris34 said:
They had a sign decal ?  Unfortunately sign written doesn't mean anything.  I've seen gypsies with sign written vans but are not legit, I'm sure there are loads more like them.
Click to expand...
Aye, usually magnetic signs. Neighbour got them to do work for her I think it was because they kept calling her darling and I think it was the first time in her life. They covered over the wood with pvc and fitted new gutters for a grand which was really cheap. The first day it rained the water flowed over the opposite end of the drainpipe. The next day it was windy and the aerial they nailed back on with same nails fell off. The third day some of the new soffit fell off. She ended up getting roofing guys up to fix it all and they said it was the worst they had seen. So it cost her more in long run and its still a mess. She's never been called darling since. ?

 
RandomCivvy said:
This just happened. My partner and I are working from home today when a car with ladders on top pulls up and parks outside our house. The car has a decal on it stating that it's C.K Exterior Cleaning. No problem, we were actually thinking of having our windows cleaned soon so wonder if they'd do ours while they're in the area.

There are two men in the car. One of them gets out, takes a ladder off the roof rack, walks up onto our drive and leans it against the front of our house. I'm a bit surprised as we hadn't booked anything, so I think they've maybe got the wrong house and are meant to be cleaning our neighbour's windows (we're in a row of terraced houses that all look the same).

My partner goes outside to check that they aren't mistaken about which house they're doing, and potentially ask if they're available to clean our windows too. The men immediately start being aggressive and confrontational, telling him to 'chill the f**k out' and to 'f**k off' because they only leaned the ladder against our house 'for a minute'. To clarify, we didn't really have a problem with them doing that (we're not the obsessive Neighbourhood Watch types) - we just didn't want them to start working on the wrong house. 

My partner walks back to our front door where I'm holding the cat so she doesn't escape, and both men are jeering after him, telling us both to 'f**k off'. It was completely unnecessary and really unprofessional, and as my desk is right by the window at the front of our house I have to sit here all day now while they're walking around outside, occasionally looking up at me and making me feel really uncomfortable.

I tried googling their company name, but they don't have a website - just two mobile numbers that I obviously don't want to ring as they're clearly the numbers of the two men who swore at us (07856224790 and 07999063399). They're not on Checkatrade either. The only listings I can find are things like this: https://www.sblr.co.uk/cslisting/164103/

There's no way for me to complain about them, and it's really frustrating because they're just going to get away with being aggressive and threatening to people who could have been potential customers. So I'm posting on here because it seemed like the only thing to do. If you know these people, please tell them that this is a pretty terrible way to do business.
Click to expand...
This situation is easily solved...

Get the information about them from the neighbor ( the one that had them do their place.)Then report them to the proper authorities.

Hope you find a local reliable window cleaning company. 

 
swc1 said:
This situation is easily solved...

Get the information about them from the neighbor ( the one that had them do their place.)Then report them to the proper authorities.

Hope you find a local reliable window cleaning company. 
Click to expand...
We don't really have anyone to report stuff like that to.  Poor workmanship can be reported to trading standards, but something like this I don't think they would be interested, it's more a civil matter as no contract existed as they aren't a customer.

Best thing is to just not use them and get on with their lives.  Think anything else is just wasting their time on people who don't deserve their time.

 
Smell sh1te, does anyone on here honestly know anyone that would react in this way when being told politely that they have the wrong house ?.

If that has been the response your oatener got then I'd be willing to bet money that he wasn't that friendly when telling them it's the wrong house. Your side of events could easily be proved. Everyone has ring door cameras now. Upload it on here so we can see if your version adds up.
 
scottish cleaning service said:
I know what I would do. I would go and tell the story to the neighbour who got their windows cleaned and hopefully they would cancel their services. Don't want folk like that anywhere near my house. We are lucky in Scotland with the license because you can report it to the council and if they don't have a license then the police get them at the next clean. ?
Click to expand...

Hardly anyone has a license, I haven't renewed mine. The council aren't going around randomly checking anymore. You have to report it to the police. The police are stretched as it is and sometimes are to busy to attend people's houses when they have been robbed. An unlicensed window cleaner isn't going to get them stopping what thete doing to go attend to it.

I emailed the council saying its basically a donation now as it's not going to be enforced. Told them il start paying again when they start enforcing it again.
 
Yogi1872 said:
Hardly anyone has a license, I haven't renewed mine. The council aren't going around randomly checking anymore. You have to report it to the police. The police are stretched as it is and sometimes are to busy to attend people's houses when they have been robbed. An unlicensed window cleaner isn't going to get them stopping what thete doing to go attend to it.

I emailed the council saying its basically a donation now as it's not going to be enforced. Told them il start paying again when they start enforcing it again.
Click to expand...
Good Luck but I prefer to make an honest living. I clean the windows of a Sherriff and don't want to be up against him. Its a great clean for a score a month, also clean CE of a council so not worth upsetting him. ?
 
scottish cleaning service said:
Good Luck but I prefer to make an honest living. I clean the windows of a Sherriff and don't want to be up against him. Its a great clean for a score a month, also clean CE of a council so not worth upsetting him. ?
Click to expand...

A sherriff ? Didn't know you had branched out to the states now.

I clean a few police officers and one of them laughed when I told him about the change. Hardly any of the customers even realise you need a license. And hardly anyone bothers to get one.

It's an absolute farce anyway, it should be generic for all the councils in scotland but you need one for each council location. I've not been spot checked in over 15 years now. If there not going to bother to enforce it then il not be paying it.
 

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